Biodiversity provides key ecosystem services for farmers around the world, including pest control, pollination, and soil improvement. Biodiversity can occur at surprisingly high levels in traditional farming systems. While agroecology is helping explain ecological processes and how they work, there are still significant gaps in our understanding of biodiversity. This Knowledge Cafe will provide an opportunity for dialogue on different approaches being taken to provide incentives for farmers and agricultural communities to enhance ecosystem services and promote conservation within the agricultural matrix.

Photo: FlickrStuckinCustoms

DATE: 09 Sep 2012

TIME: 11:00 - 13:00

ROOM: 102

Though frequently unappreciated and unnoticed by farmers, the critical services provided by agroecosystems strengthen ecological resilience within farms and improve food security for rural communities and the cities. Often, agriculture is portrayed as a primary driver of biodiversity loss but, if managed properly, farms can actually provide important habitat help connect protected areas. Habitat features within farms can enhance protected areas by acting as buffer zones or corridors around protected areas, allowing movement of biodiversity through what may be difficult terrain to navigate for many species. These conservation principles are well established yet the challenge remains to provide incentives for maintaining and restoring these features in agricultural areas.

The approaches covered in this session range from farm management of habitats to landscape level approaches. The session will provide information and training to farmers and focus on market-based incentives. This Knowledge Café will be an opportunity to identify next steps and move toward actions that build on the key issues for enhancing biodiversity within agricultural landscapes.